1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to cartons fabricated from paper, paperboard and/or corrugated paperboard. In particular, the present invention is directed to cartons that are configured to be hung vertically to serve as a dispenser for fluent materials.
2. Prior Art
Hanging dispensers are known, for dispensing fluent materials such as liquid or finely powdered soap, detergent and the like. Such prior art dispensing devices are typically fabricated from plastic, glass and/or metal. In addition, such prior art devices are typically permanently mounted devices, which to remain useful, must be refilled when the existing supply of fluent material has been exhausted. Such refilling may require filling a storage portion of the device from a larger container of material (e.g., by pouring from one to the other). Such a process can be time consuming and lead to spillage and waste. Alternatively, some prior art dispensing devices employ interchangeable and/or replaceable canisters or cartridges.
It would be desirable to replace such permanently installed dispensing devices, with disposable devices that may simply be discarded, upon exhaustion of the contents.
It would also be desirable to provide a disposable hanging dispensing device that can be readily recycled, either in whole or in part.
It would further be desirable to provide disposable hanging dispensing devices that can also serve the dual purpose of being the shipping container for the fluent material, which is to be dispensed, without requiring a separate container for the fluent material.
These and other desirable characteristics of the present invention will become apparent in view of the present specification, including claims, and drawings.
The present invention is directed, in part, to a dispensing container, operably configured to be suspended from a support for the facilitated dispensing of fluent material. The dispensing container comprises a generally tubular body, having a closure structure disposed proximate an opening in an upper portion of the tubular body.
The tubular body further has a bottom dispensing region, having an internal cross-sectional area that decreases from an upper portion of the bottom dispensing region to a lower portion of the bottom dispensing region for collecting and guiding fluent material contained therein toward a localized area.
The tubular body, including the closure structure and the bottom dispensing region, collectively define and enclose a fluent material containment volume.
The dispensing container further comprises nozzle receiving structure, operably disposed in the bottom dispensing region, for securely but releasably, restrainedly receiving a dispensing nozzle so that an inlet aperture of a dispensing nozzle received by the nozzle receiving structure opens onto the fluent material containment region, in the bottom dispensing region.
The dispensing container further comprises hanging support structure, operably connected to the tubular body, to enable the dispensing container to be removably hung upon and supported by a projecting support member.
The generally tubular body is preferably fabricated from at least one of the following materials: paper; paperboard; corrugated paperboard.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the closure structure is openable and reclosable, to permit the dispensing container to be reused if desired.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the container is operably configured to cooperatively receive fluent material contained in a liner enclosure, as a xe2x80x9cbag-in-boxxe2x80x9d type of container.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the generally tubular body has a rectangular cross-sectional configuration, in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the dispensing container, along a predominant portion of its length.
The closure structure preferably comprises at least one top closure flap operably configured to span an upper opening of the generally tubular body. Preferably, the bottom dispensing region has an interior configuration in the shape of an inverted pyramid. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottom dispensing region has an exterior configuration in the shape of an inverted gable.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the plurality of at least three substantially rectangular side wall panels comprises four substantially rectangular side wall panels, and the bottom dispensing region is formed, at least in part, by front and rear bottom panels having substantially rectangular shapes; right and left bottom panels having substantially triangular shapes.
Preferably, the nozzle receiving structure comprises a nozzle receiving aperture, disposed in the generally tubular body; and a movable nozzle restraining flap, operably configured to be moved to permit the receipt of a dispensing nozzle into the nozzle receiving aperture, and replaced to capture a received dispensing nozzle in the nozzle receiving aperture. In another peferred embodiment of the invention, the nozzle receiving aperture and nozzle restraining flap are operably configured to permit a nozzle to be removably connected to the bottom dispensing region of the dispensing container.
The hanging support structure preferably comprises a hanging flap connected to an upper portion of the generally tubular body; and at least one projecting support member receiving aperture disposed in the hanging flap. The hanging flap preferably further comprises a first portion emanating directly from the generally tubular body; and a folding portion, operably configured to be folded over into juxtaposed position overlying the first portion, wherein at least first and second projecting support member receiving apertures are formed in the first portion and the folding portion, which at least first and second projecting support member receiving apertures are operably configured to align with one another, when the folding portion of the hanging flap is folded over and juxtaposed with the first portion of the hanging flap.
When the container is fabricated from corrugated paperboard material, preferably the flutes of the corrugated paperboard material extend in the blank in a direction parallel to a line extending from the top to the bottom of the generally tubular body.
The dispensing container may be monolithically formed from a single blank.
The present invention also comprises in part a blank for forming a dispensing container, operably configured to be suspended from a support for the facilitated dispensing of fluent material. The blank preferably comprises, in part, a plurality of at least three substantially rectangular side wall panels, operably connected to one another along longitudinally extending lines of weakness extending between adjacent ones of the side wall panels, for enabling the side wall panels to be articulated with respect to one another to form, in part, a generally tubular body having an opening in an upper portion of the generally tubular body. The blank further preferably comprises in part, at least one top closure panel, operably connected to at least one of the side wall panels, along a top peripheral region thereof, for providing a closure structure proximate the opening formed in the upper portion of a generally tubular body formed upon articulation of the plurality of substantially rectangular side wall panels. A plurality of bottom panels are preferably operably connected to at least three side walls, along bottom peripheral regions thereof, which are operably configured, upon articulation of the blank into a container, to enable the formation of a bottom dispensing region having an internal cross-sectional area that decreases from an upper portion of the bottom dispensing region to a lower portion of the bottom dispensing region for collecting and guiding fluent material contained therein toward a localized area.
The plurality of at least three side wall panels, the at least one top closure panel, and the plurality of bottom panels collectively form the generally tubular body and define and enclose, upon articulation of the blank into a container, a fluent material containment volume.
The blank further preferably comprises nozzle receiving structure, operably disposed in at least one of the bottom panels, for securely but releasably, restrainedly receiving a dispensing nozzle, upon articulation of the blank into a container, so that an inlet aperture of a dispensing nozzle received by the nozzle receiving structure opens onto the fluent material containment region, in the bottom dispensing region.
The blank further preferably comprises at least one hanging flap member, operably connected to at least one of the side wall panels, along a top peripheral region thereof, for forming, upon articulation of the blank into a container, hanging support structure to enable the dispensing container to be removably hung upon and supported by a projecting support member.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the blank is fabricated from at least one of the following materials: paper; paperboard; corrugated paperboard.
In a preferred embodiment of the blank, the at least one top closure panel is operably configured to be openable and reclosable, to permit the articulated dispensing container to be reused if desired. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the blank is operably configured, upon articulation into the dispensing container, to cooperatively receive fluent material contained in a liner enclosure, to form a xe2x80x9cbag-in-boxxe2x80x9d type of container.
In a preferred embodiment of the blank, the plurality of at least three substantially rectangular side wall panels comprises four substantially rectangular side wall panels operably connected to one another along longitudinally extending lines of weakness extending between adjacent ones of the side wall panels, for enabling the side wall panels to be articulated with respect to one another to form a generally tubular body having a rectangular cross-sectional configuration, in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the dispensing container, along a predominant portion of its length.
In a preferred embodiment of the blank, the plurality of bottom panels, enabling formation of the bottom dispensing region, are operably configured to form, upon articulation of the blank into a container, an interior configuration in the shape of an inverted pyramid.
In a preferred embodiment of the blank, the plurality of bottom panels, enabling formation of the bottom dispensing region, are operably configured to form, upon articulation of the blank into a dispensing container, an exterior configuration in the shape of an inverted gable.
In a preferred embodiment of the blank, the plurality of at least three substantially rectangular side wall panels comprises four substantially rectangular side wall panels, and wherein the plurality of bottom panels comprises, at least in part, front and rear bottom panels connected to respective ones of the side wall panels and having substantially rectangular shapes; and right and left bottom panels connected to respective other ones of the side wall panels and having substantially triangular shapes.
In a preferred embodiment of the blank, the nozzle receiving structure comprises a nozzle receiving aperture, disposed in at least one of the bottom panels; and a movable nozzle restraining flap, operably configured to be moved to permit the receipt of a dispensing nozzle into the nozzle receiving aperture, and replaced to capture a received dispensing nozzle in the nozzle receiving aperture.
In a preferred embodiment of the blank, the nozzle receiving aperture and the nozzle restraining flap are operably configured to permit a nozzle to be removably connected to the bottom dispensing region of a dispensing container formed from the blank.
In a preferred embodiment of the blank, the at least one hanging flap member further comprises at least one projecting support member receiving aperture disposed in the at least one hanging flap member. Preferably, in the blank the at least one hanging flap member further comprises a first portion emanating directly from at least one of the plurality of side wall panels, and a folding portion, operably configured to be folded over into juxtaposed position overlying the first portion, wherein at least first and second projecting support member receiving apertures are formed in the first portion and the folding portion, which at least first and second projecting support member receiving apertures are operably configured to align with one another, when the folding portion of the at least one hanging flap member is folded over and juxtaposed with the first portion of the at least one hanging flap member.
In a preferred embodiment of the blank, the blank is fabricated from corrugated paperboard material, and the flutes of the corrugated paperboard material extend in the blank in a direction parallel to a line extending from the top to the bottom of the generally tubular body formed upon articulation of the blank.
In a preferred embodiment of the blank, the blank is monolithically formed.
The invention also comprises, in part, a dispensing container, operably configured to be suspended from a support for the facilitated dispensing of fluent material.
In this alternative embodiment of the invention, the dispensing container comprises a generally tubular body, having a closure structure disposed proximate an opening in an upper portion of the tubular body. The tubular body further has a bottom dispensing region, having an internal cross-sectional area that decreases from an upper portion of the bottom dispensing region to a lower portion of the bottom dispensing region for collecting and guiding fluent material contained therein toward a localized area. The tubular body, including the closure structure and the bottom dispensing region, collectively form the generally tubular body and define and enclose a fluent material containment volume.
This alternative embodiment of the invention further preferably comprises nozzle receiving structure, operably disposed in the bottom dispensing region, for securely but releasably, restrainedly receiving a dispensing nozzle so that an inlet aperture of a dispensing nozzle received by the nozzle receiving structure opens onto the fluent material containment region, in the bottom dispensing region, with a dispensing nozzle insertably received in the nozzle receiving structure, and having an inlet opening onto the fluent containment region and an openable and reclosable outlet opening onto a region exterior to the dispensing container. Hanging support structure is operably connected to the tubular body, to enable the dispensing container to be removably hung upon and supported by a projecting support member.